Do you consider the Maltese to be Arabs?

[Sikeliot]

Technically, they are. They speak Arabic.

Maltese is a dialect of Maghrebi Arabic, which originated in Sicily under Arab rule but is only spoken in Malta and among very old people on Pantelleria today.

[Coolguy1]

Not really, I guess I consider them their own entity. I dont believe they espouse an Arab identity either

[Sikeliot]

Not really, I guess I consider them their own entity. I dont believe they espouse an Arab identity either

They're basically Arabic-speaking Sicilians. But because they speak Arabic, they're Arab.

[MsSPF]

This is not really Arabic, it's an hybrid language : Italian-Sicilian/Maghrebi Arabic mix. Maltese language is considered to be a Semitic language but it's not an Arabic dialect. Close to but too much Italian/Sicilian in their language.

[Dandelion]

Maltese is like Sicilo-Arabic with a Romance vocabulary for 70% as a result of isolation from Arabic speakers. Reminds me of English in that regard (which is a Germanic language with mostly non-Germanic vocabulary and has creole-like features like a simple grammar and a vocabulary from another language group, even though its creole status has never been proven and its irregularities are very un-creole).

[crazyladybutterfly]

to be an arab ONE MUST BE FROM ARABIAN PENINSULA and genetically be from this region. they dont. they only have neolithic farmer ancestry and at best some berber blood which doesnt make them arab at all .

[Neon Knight]

[Coolguy1]

Do Maltese have more mena influence than Sicilians?

[Hoxhaism]

Well, the maltese are a whole new level of brown..

[Sacrificed Ram]

Race or Language? Or both?